What is connection? It’s an energy exchange between people who are paying attention to each other. It’s having a safe space for emotional expression, knowing we won’t be judged. It’s having the ability to define our boundaries, and have them respected. It’s having our emotional needs met.
Humans are hard-wired for connection. We ALL need connection. We ALL need to feel like we belong, that we’re enough. We need to feel loved and accepted. It’s when we don’t get this need met that our lives seem to be off-balance.
We’ve heard about people committing suicide because they felt alone. They may have been surrounded by people, and yet felt alone. They may have been surrounded by LOVED ones, and yet felt alone. They lacked authentic connection. They thought they couldn’t be themselves, that they wouldn’t be accepted if they showed vulnerability.
Connection is not only about the physical, what we see & hear. It’s not only about having a home, friends and family. It’s also very much about our emotions – feeling safe enough to be vulnerable, feeling safe enough to feel all our emotions and speak our truth, knowing we won’t be judged, ridiculed or rejected.
When we get our emotional needs met, we get the wonderful side-effect of our self esteem growing. That safe space allows us to grow. It teaches us that we are enough and we belong. Therefore we develop more confidence in ourselves.
In order to function at our best, we need to have at least 3 relationships that meet our emotional needs.
I invite you to think about the relationships in your life. Which relationships GIVE you energy? Which relationships provide the safe space for you to be truly YOU? Which relationships meet your emotional needs?
If you’re struggling with self esteem issues, perhaps this is where the gap is?
